When we found out that it was supposed to rain for our entire trip to Victoria, we were initially quite disappointed (even though it is typical winter weather for the area). We wanted to be outdoors walking, and that didn’t sound very enjoyable to do in the rain with an infant and a toddler. Instead, one of the highlights of our little trip was watching Addie stroll through the Butchart Gardens in the rain.
We started our time at the gardens with their high tea, and watched from inside as the weather turned. Addie had missed having a quality nap, and we were fairly sure we were about to have a crying child and miserable weather. Our trip to the gardens was seeming like a write off.
Instead, Addie stepped out into the rain, and she was overcome with delight. Eloise was bundled up on the stroller beneath a rain cover, and Addie took off happily. She is a huge fan of the movie CARS and she has a Lightning McQueen race car hat that she swung alongside her, singing made up songs to her hat as we all took in the gardens.
The gardens were incredible and if we return to Victoria, I would plan on spending a day walking the gardens with a light picnic lunch. We didn’t get to see the full gardens before closing, really only visiting the sunken garden, which was really too bad. Even coming in February, with no outdoor flowers in bloom, the place was stunning. I can only imagine it on a summer day.
We rode the $2 Rose Carousel before leaving. Addie rode twice. And when we left, we were all cold and wet from the rain, but we’d all had a great time. Eloise had slept soundly beneath her rain cover, and Addie had skipped through puddles.
The whole excusion was further proof of the motto “there’s no such thing as bad weather,” and watching Addie delight in the rain is something I hope to remember for a long time.